Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette turned her angst into an art form and delivered one of the most groundbreaking albums of all time with her 1995 opus, <i>Jagged Little Pill</i>. The iconic album bridged...
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Singer Alanis Morissette has teamed up with Costa Rican musician Carlos 'tapado' Vargas to record a unique song inspired by female coffee producers. The Ironic hitmaker and Vargas used coffee beans and machinery used in the production of coffee to create the percussion parts for their quirky collaboration, The Morning.
The track and video will accompany the release of documentary titled A Small Section of the World, which centres on female coffee producers in Costa Rica.
Morissette tells The Hollywood Reporter, "I just basically live for the feminine being and beauty - really talking about it and extolling the virtues of the feminine being celebrated in men and women alike."
She adds, "I think they were trying to see who might lend the voice and sing through the hearts and minds and souls of these women in Costa Rica, to tell their story and articulate something that might be a little challenging to articulate.
"I was flattered that they saw me as the kind of person that can really get inside another person's experience and capacity, and articulate it for them as best I could. It was an honour."

Canadian singer Alanis Morissette is facing legal action from a disgruntled former employee over allegations of unpaid overtime.
Sheila Dos Santos claims the Ironic hitmaker and her husband Mario Treadway violated Los Angeles labor laws by forcing her to work long hours without proper breaks for meals. In papers filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court earlier this month (Oct14), she also accuses the couple of fining her when she complained about the alleged work conditions and then creating "a hostile and disparate working environment", which left the plaintiff no choice but to leave her job after four years.
Dos Santos, who has not provided further details about the nature of her work with the stars, is suing for damages for wrongful discharge, labour law violations, unpaid wages, infliction of emotional distress and unfair business practices, according to Entlawdigest.com.
It's not the first time Morissette and Treadway have been sued by an ex-employee - they are also involved in a legal battle over complaints about long, exhausting shifts and unpaid overtime with their son Ever's former nanny, Bianca Cambeiro, who filed suit last year (13). Morissette blasted Cambeiro's allegations as "hurtful" and "cruel".

Singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette has stunned fans by going blonde. The Ironic hitmaker showed off her new look in a 'selfie' posted on Instagram.com on Wednesday (17Sep14), captioning the snap, "New hair. Girl needed to have a little fun... ps - blondes are, in fact, treated differently."

Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Aniston and ex-boyfriend 50 Cent helped comedienne Chelsea Handler wrap up her late-night E! TV show, Chelsea Lately, after seven years on Tuesday (26Aug14). Bullock and Aniston joined another of Handler's best pals, actress Mary McCormack, to stage a mock intervention and hold the host exactly what they thought of her.
McCormack blamed the funny lady for wrecking her acting career and landing her with a bad reputation, while Aniston criticised Handler for stealing "everything I do", adding, "I introduced you to my yoga teacher (and) you stole my yoga teacher," and, "You're not fooling anyone with those blue eyes... I mean seriously, who dyes their eyes? That's just weird."
The former Friends star then took aim at her pal's hygiene issues, explaining, "My security guard caught you douching with Listerine!"
Bullock, who told Handler "You still scare me a little", scolded her pal for teasing lesbians, adding, "You're either into girls or you're not".
The Gravity star then brought Handler's "ex-lover" 50 Cent onto the studio stage, insisting he was the last thing that was cool about the host.
The comedienne appeared thrilled to see her ex, who she admitted she hadn't seen since they split.
She told the rapper, "I wanted to apologise because I did end our relationship abruptly and I know you didn't come on the show for many years... but I want you to know that I have not dated a black man since.
"They say, 'Once you go black, you never go back...' You come running back!"
She then joked, "But seriously, are you over me?"
The rapper then performed new single Watch Me with his rap collective G-Unit before walking off stage hugging his ex, who could be heard saying, "Thanks, babe."
Handler wrapped up the hour-long special with a performance from Miley Cyrus, who sang Roy Orbison's It's Over, dressed in a western style shirt and red pants, before Gwen Stefani led an all-star choir with a send-off spoof of USA For Africa's We Are The World.
The celebrities who joined her, Handler, 50 Cent, Bullock, Aniston and McCormack onstage included Vanessa Hudgens, Fergie, Trace Adkins, Avril Lavigne, Gerard Butler, Alanis Morissette, Kate Beckinsale, Justin Theroux, Selena Gomez, Melissa McCarthy, Dave Grohl, Leann Rimes, Sammy Hagar, Chloe Grace Moretz, Johnny Knoxville, astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Anna Faris.

YouTube/TaylorSwiftVEVO
Taylor Swift is breaking records again - her new single Shake It Off has become the highest debut on America's Adult Pop Songs chart.
The track is expected to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 countdown on Wednesday (27Aug14) but it has started off high on other charts. It debuts at number nine on the Adult Pop Songs radio airplay chart, becoming the first single to bow in the top 10. The previous record was set by Alanis Morissette, who debuted Thank U at 13 in 1998.
Shake It Off also enters America's Pop Songs countdown at 12, tying the previous highest debut, Mariah Carey's 1993 tune Dreamlover.

A video showing Kanye West rapping in a record store as a teenager has emerged online. The Stronger star was just 19 when the footage was shot in the Fat Beats shop in New York City in 1996, five years before he found fame by collaborating with Jay Z in 2001.
The tape was shot by the store's general manager, DJ Eclipse, who recently rediscovered the clip, and it shows West rapping about subjects including his hometown of Chicago, Illinois and singer Alanis Morissette.

Former Full House star Dave Coulier is engaged to wed his girlfriend of nine years. The 54-year-old actor and his photographer/producer fiancee Melissa Bring are preparing to exchange vows in a ceremony in Montana in July (14), and Coulier admits he couldn't be happier.
He tells UsMagazine.com, "Melissa has been my best friend since I met her nine years ago. I feel like the luckiest man on the planet. I get to marry my best friend, and she doesn't mind that I have a really bad gas problem."
It will be the comedian's second marriage - he split from first wife Jayne Modean in 1992 after two years of marriage.
He famously went on to date singer Alanis Morissette, who reportedly penned her hit 1995 song You Oughta Know about the actor shortly after their split.

Alanis Morissette has given California congressional candidate Marianne Williamson a big boost by writing her new campaign song. The Ironic hitmaker recorded Today to help her politician pal win votes.
The Grammy Award winner writes, "I was attempting to capture the passion, mission, activism, deep humanity and tenderness of Marianne, the new political sensibility she represents and the consciousness that produced it.
"Recording at Sunset Sound (recording studio) with my bandmates, Marianne came by and visited. We all huddled together as the song was recorded. I love this song. I love this woman and I love a world that would vote for her."
Williamson, a writer, is one of 18 candidates seeking to succeed Henry Waxman when he retires after 40 years in Congress in January (15).

Singer Alanis Morissette has been reunited with her dog Circus after her husband Mario Treadway filed a lawsuit against the couple's former housekeeper, accusing her of kidnapping the pet. Treadway sued Maria Garcia last month (Mar14), claiming the maid took the Chihuahua/pug mix when she was fired from her role as the pair's house manager in January (14).
He claimed Garcia wanted to keep the dog as part of her severance deal, but the plaintiff refused and asked a Los Angeles judge to force her to return the animal immediately, in addition to $25,000 (£15,600) in damages.
Circus is back home and the case has been dropped, according to TMZ.com.

Singer Katy Perry and reality TV star-turned-fashion designer Nicole Richie have thrown their support behind self-help author Marianne Williamson's campaign to run for a seat in the U.S. Congress. The stars joined guests including Kourtney and Kim Kardashian for a political campaign event in Los Angeles on Tuesday night (08Apr14) in support of Williamson's bid to replace Democratic Representative Henry Waxman, who is retiring from his role in California's 33rd Congressional District.
Richie has also recorded a video testimonial for the writer and aspiring politician, declaring, "I support Marianne Williams because I think that America is ready for positivity, strength and enlightenment."
And she isn't the only celebrity to do so - Eva Longoria, Glee star Jane Lynch, and singer Alanis Morissette have also voiced their support for Williamson's race for a seat in America's House of Representatives.
Californians will go to the polls in June (14).

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Released "Fate Stay with Me" as a single via a label she founded with Morgan

Released second album, Now Is the Time; Morissette wrote the songs with the album's producer, Leslie Howe (Canada only)

First album solely written and produced by Morissette, Under Rug Swept

Began playing the piano at age six

Released her fourth album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, which she wrote and produced with Glen Ballard

Recorded the song "Uninvited" for the soundtrack for the film "City of Angels"

Guest-starred in three episodes of FX's "Nip/Tuck," playing a lesbian named Poppy

Appearing as God in the Kevin Smith film "Dogma"; also contributed the song "Still" to its soundtrack

Released seventh studio album, Flavors of Entanglement

Signed a publishing deal with MCA Publishing

Released an acoustic version of Jagged Little Pill Acoustic; released exclusively through Starbucks' Hear Music retail

Appeared in the film "Just One of the Girls" starring Corey Haim

Contributed the song "Wunderkind" to the soundtrack of the film "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"; nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song

Landed a spot on "Star Search," but lost after one round (used the stage name of Alanis Nadine)

Appeared briefly in the Cole Porter biographical film "De-Lovely"; also performed the song "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)"

Wrote her first song, "Fate Stay with Me," which she sent to a local folk singer, Lindsay Morgan

Cast as a regular on the CTV/Nickelodeon show, "You Can't Do That on Television"

Appeared as herself in an episode of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

First internationally released album, Jagged Little Pill

Appeared in the Off-Broadway play "The Exonerated" as Sunny Jacobs, a death row inmate freed after proof surfaced that she was innocent

Appeared in several episodes of "Weeds" (Showtime), playing Dr. Audra Kitson, a "no-nonsense obstetrician"

Singed a deal with Maverick Records

Released debut album, Alanis (Canada only); Morissette co-wrote every track on the album with its producer, Leslie Howe

Played a lesbian on an episode of HBO's "Sex and the City"

Released a tongue-in-cheek cover of The Black Eyed Peas's song "My Humps"; also released an accompanying YouTube-hosted video

Summary

Alanis Morissette turned her angst into an art form and delivered one of the most groundbreaking albums of all time with her 1995 opus, <i>Jagged Little Pill</i>. The iconic album bridged the gap between post-Nirvana grunge and pre-Britney Spears pop with the singer-songwriter's unapologetic and haunting tracks such as the confessional "You Oughta Know" and "Hand in My Pocket." The Grammy Award-winning album also branded Morissette as the poster girl for the 1990s "angry young woman," an alternative rock answer to Madonna's overt sexuality and Courtney Love's gutter-punk attitude. However, Morissette's multilayered music - as well as her quiet, down-to-earth demeanor - reached out to more than just Generation X rockers and riot girls, extending her 15 minutes of fame. She released several other successful albums and had memorable acting roles in films like "Dogma," (1999) and on television on programs such as "Weeds" (Showtime, 2005- ). Yet for all her efforts both in music and the acting realm, none delivered the caliber and pop culture impact of <i>Jagged Little Pill</i>, which put Morissette on the map as one of the most definitive artists of her generation.